OPTIMISATION AND EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH OF FURROWING TOOL BASED ON EDEM
Abstract
Mechanised furrowing and fertiliser application is an effective engineering solution for improving operational efficiency and reducing labour intensity in hilly and mountainous orchards. In this study, a systematic optimisation methodology for a disc-type furrowing tool is proposed by integrating discrete element method (DEM) simulations using EDEM with quadratic orthogonal regression experiments and response surface analysis. Key structural parameters, including bending radius, bending angle, and alpha angle, were selected as design variables, and their individual and interactive effects on furrowing power consumption were investigated. The results of the response surface analysis indicate that appropriate structural optimisation can significantly reduce trenching power consumption. The optimal structural parameters were determined as follows: bending radius of 36.79 mm, bending angle of 126.94°, and alpha angle of 43.65°. Under these conditions, the predicted power consumption was 0.85 kW, representing a reduction of 8.88% compared with the original tool design. Soil bin experiments were conducted to validate the DEM simulation results, and the experimental trends showed good agreement with the simulation predictions, demonstrating the reliability of the proposed optimisation approach. This study provides a practical reference for the engineering design and performance improvement of soil-engaging tools.